27 Thanksgiving Groceries You Can Buy Right Now

Thanksgiving is like a middle school book report: It’s not difficult, so long as you get ahead. Less demanding than a five-paragraph essay on the symbolism of A Wrinkle In Time, much of your Thanksgiving shopping can be knocked out weeks in advance with a quick visit to the grocery store.

In conjunction with our Thanksgiving timeline, we’ve highlighted everything that you could buy between now and the start of November to best prepare your kitchen. This list includes ingredients, equipment, and beverages that will not expire nor lose utility if they sit around for weeks. Before you dive in, we encourage you to heed our general Thanksgiving shopping advice: take inventory of your pantry, consider your menu, then hit the store.

Here is everything that you can buy for Thanksgiving, right now.

Dry Ingredients

Stock up on dried spices, baking staples, and flavor enhancers (like salt). The best thing about these ingredients is that they’re common in many dishes you’d make throughout the year. Many of the following ingredients are used in gravy, turkey brines, and pies.

Dried Spices: Smoked paprika, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, black peppercorns, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg

Salt & Flavor Enhancers: Kosher salt, flaky salt, MSG

Baking Staples: AP Flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cornstarch

Nonperishables

Sauces, stocks, vinegars, nuts, and canned goods. This is a combination of general kitchen essentials and Thanksgiving-specific ingredients, like canned pumpkin. We encourage you to comb through this list with your menu in mind.

Gravy Additions: Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, miso paste, chicken stock

Thanksgiving Specialties: Canned cranberry sauce, canned pumpkin purée

Vinegars: Balsamic, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar

Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pecans

Frozen Ingredients

Veggies, pie crusts, and filo dough. If you’re planning to use frozen vegetables in one of your sides (which works in many preparations), you can buy those well in advance of November’s third Thursday. Same goes with pie crust and filo dough. Pro tip: Make sure you’ve got enough freezer space to store your Thanksgiving ingredients without disrupting your everyday cold-storage needs.

Wine & Booze

Since your menu isn’t going to drastically change between now and Thanksgiving, there’s no reason to delay purchasing wine. Also, odds are, if you visit your wine shop well in-advance of the holidays, the employees are much more likely to have the time and energy to help you find a bottle (or six) that aligns with your preferences. The same goes for booze. I know I’m starting my day with a Bloody Mary and ending it with some bourbon—there’s no reason I can’t purchase vodka and whiskey today.

The Turkey

Many grocery stores allow you to pre-order your turkey weeks in-advance. While you won’t need to pick the Turkey up until the week of, pre-ordering ensures you’ll acquire the right bird for your group. We recommend pre-ordering your turkey—from either a grocery store or directly through a farmer—as soon as you’re aware of roughly how many guests you’re feeding.

Equipment

Pie pans, baking sheets, roasting pans, cocktail shakers, gravy separators, storage containers, mixing bowls: These kitchen basics are Thanksgiving essentials. To set yourself up for success, we suggest you peer through your menu, jot down a list of the equipment your recipes require, then take inventory of what you already have. If you’re missing something—like a stand mixer or food processor—you can find it on our site.

Serveware

There isn’t much to debate here: Your guests need plates, forks, knives, cups, and chairs. And, as we learned in the latest season of The Bear, you can never have too many forks—so you might as well stock up now.

Entertaining inspiration from Food52

• Hosting Thanksgiving? This Timeline Will Help
• 10 Dansk Pieces Made for Fall Entertaining (and Curling up at Home)
• Your Best Turkey Starts With These 10 Tools
• 19 Essentials for Setting a Modern Farmhouse Table

---

How do you get ahead on your Thanksgiving shopping? Let us know in the comments below!